Behind Blue Eyes
by orvokki
Summary: Sometimes things just go wrong from the beginning. When a battered agent comes to her help, Rose is really not all that convinced. Bit AU. Based mostly on D. Craig's Bond. Rated M, just to be on the safe side. ON HOLD!
1. Chapter 1

If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Behind Blue Eyes

Prologue

Rose Hanford was in a wrong place. She was sweating in her jeans and t-shirt, and the sun was pouring its rays on her sensitive skin. No sun block, not even a hat, she inwardly grimaced, I'm going to be so sore tomorrow. There was no shadow on the terrace of the café where she was sitting. And why would there be, it was the holiday season and most people at the Bay were there to enjoy the sun.

She took a sip of her coke. The person she was supposed to meet, was obviously not coming. Although she wasn't quite sure she really was in the right place to begin with. But that wasn't her fault. The woman had said that she would meet her at the first restaurant left of her hotel. This was the first restaurant.. But she hadn't really been specific on which side of the road, or if it was a café or a bistro she was taking about. Rose buried her face to her hands. What had she been thinking when she'd agreed to do this.

She sighed and took another sip of the coke. And nearly choked as she saw a familiar face in the crowd. His late boss had had one man he said he could trust. And that man was now walking down the boulevard right in front of her.

"Mr. Caldwell." She called his name and waived her hand. "Over here."

The man turned to look at her direction. A moment went by as he didn't seem to recognize her, but then a wolfish grin appeared on his handsome face. He took the few steps up to the terrace and sat down next to her. He was dark, tall and handsome, and Rose was pretty sure that the twenty-something girls at the table near them wondered why the man was sitting next to her.

"Ms. Hanford, of all the people, you are the last one I thought I would se here." He said as he waived his hand to the waiter. He quickly pointed out a drink from the list. And then turned his gaze back to the woman next to him. "What brings you here?"

"Funny thing. I was just about to ask you the same." She replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Work. Work brought me here." He seemed to relax as he leaned backwards on his chair.

"Me too." She took another sip of her drink. "I'm here because of Mr. Kincaid's last wish. But I can't really say more." She shrugged. "It's supposed to be a secret."

The man grinned. "I know."

"You do?" Her eyebrows shot up as he leaned closer.

"Hand it over Rose." The coldness of his voice made her shiver even in the heat of the midday sun. She looked at him wide-eyed as she leaned back a bit to get away from him.

"What..?"

"The Key. I know you have it. So hand it over. Now." She saw a metal glint s he pulled something out from the side pocket of his vest.

This is not happening, her mind raced, Mr. Caldwell is a nice person. He wouldn't threaten me? With a gun..? Would he..?

It seemed that she took too long to answer as he suddenly stood up and raised his fist. It came down to the side of her head so fast that she didn't even manage to yell out. The people sitting next to them jumped up and stared in as much disbelief as Rose at the scene in front of them.

"Hand it over!" He commanded again. Rose gazed up to him as his tall shadow hovered over her. Her hand came up to the side of her head.

"You.. You.." She stuttered the word out, too shocked to speak.

Then the waiter came back with his drink. Mr. Caldwell turned and Rose didn't even think. She was up on her feet in a blink of and eye, and on the next she was running. Her sneakers slid on the stone pavement, but she managed to get away before the man she though she could trust had time to react. Rose didn't turn around when she heard him yell out her name.

She just ran.

----

Chapter 1. Coming soon! :)


	2. Chapter 2

If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Behind Blue Eyes

Chapter 1.

The bistro was located on a quiet boulevard near the long, silver sanded beach. James sat there, on a white metal chair with a cool drink on his good hand and gazed down the boulevard as the few tourists strolled by. His sunglasses almost managed to hide the dark bruise below his eye. The cast on his right wrist made his skin itch.

Yes. He really had needed this vacation.

The waitress, with her deliciously long, creamy legs, came up to him with his bill. She smiled and winked as he pulled the money out from his wallet.

When he turned the bill over, he saw the phone number written on it. James grinned.

Oh yes, he had definitely needed this vacation.

---

Rose ran.

She wasn't looking where just as long as she could get away from that man. Her face hurt, and it seemed that her glasses had cracked. Finally, out of breath, she had to stop. She dived into a small alley.

Panting hard she leaned to the wall. Her legs trembled and sweat drenched her t-shirt. Her shoulder length brown hair had escaped from the ponytail and it clung to her damp skin.

She reached out to her purse, only to notice that she had left it to the café. My passport! Her eyes went wide. She removed her glasses and wiped the sweat away from her forehead.

"Oh crap.." She moaned and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, "Crap crap crap.."

Urgent steps woke her up from her stupor. Was he following her? She quickly put her glasses back and peeked out from her hiding place. She saw Mr. Caldwell jogging down the road. He didn't even seem to be out of breath. Rose drew a shaky breath. Tears stung her eyes.

"Why is this happening..?" Rose whispered to herself. "What..?"

Mr. Caldwell had stopped. He was looking at his cell phone and suddenly he sound of Duffy's Mercy cut the air. Rose's hand went to her back pocket and she pulled the phone out.

"CRAP!" The cell phone flew from her hand as she dashed out form the alley.

----

James never saw her coming as she ran straight to his chest, knocking him back half a step before could he brace them both. His mind registered few things in the seconds he held her close. She was short, very curvy and she trembled. She hastily looked over her shoulder, letting out a small whimper of terror as she saw the man running toward them.

Then she looked up to him with tear filled eyes. "Please." She whispered. Her left cheekbone was turning purple. It wasn't all that hard to figure out she had been attacked.

So much for the vacation, he gingerly thought as he pushed her to safety behind him.

"Rose." The tall, dark haired man called her name. The woman behind James grabbed a handful of his shirt. "Come on Rose, there's no need to involve other people to this." The dark haired man said.

"Go away, I don't have it!" She cried.

"Don't lie to me." The man scowled.

"I'm not lying!"

"The lady says she doesn't have it." James pointed out before the other man could say anything.

"You stay out this, or you'll get more bones broken." The man gave his cast a narrow eyed glare.

James shrugged. And then almost too fast for the eyes to see it he kicked the other man to the ribs. It would have worked much better if he had managed to actually hit the other guy, but the man was just a bit too fast.

A fist landed on his already bruised face, but while taking a hit he managed to give one back. He saw the gun holster under the man's vest and while he was still recovering from the blow, James pulled the gun out and brought it down to the man's head.

Mr. Caldwell made a gurgling sound and went limp.

---

Rose couldn't believe what a happening right in front of her. The man she had run into just beat the crap out of Mr. Caldwell, and disarmed him, and now he turned to look at her.

All she could do was stare in shock. But when he turned his attention back to the body laying in front of him and she heard him click the safety off the gun, she dashed to him and pulled the hand holding the gun.

"Don't." She found herself begging.

He looked down at her for what seemed like ages, although it probably was just a second or two. The cold blue eyes mesmerized her.

"I.. I.." Rose stuttered when he finally turned his eyes back to the unconscious Mr. Caldwell. "Your face.. Are you alright?" She asked, while making a mental note that he didn't throw the gun away.

"I'm fine." He had a deep voice with a British accent.

"You're bleeding." She pointed out. He brought his fingers to his face, and smeared the blood trickling down his forehead. His blond hair stuck straight up where the blood had colored it red.

"You are quite good at stating the obvious." He wiped the blood out of his hand to his shirt. "Bleeding is what usually happens if someone hits you to the face."

He then reached out to grab a hold of her chin. She froze to the contact. Even tough he was being very gentle, she could feel the strength of the grip. He brought his face near enough for her to see that his eyes were not only cold, they were nearly arctic.

"That's a nasty looking bruise." He said and then let go of her chin. She nearly toppled over, not realizing she had leaned into his touch. "Did he hit you?" He nodded towards the unconscious man.

"Y-yes." She whispered. "He.. I don't know. He just…" She shivered violently. "I don't.. I think I'm going to faint.."

---

"No wait..!" James saw her eyes flutter close and quickly reached out to catch her. Her limb body was surprisingly heavy and he nearly lost his footing. He quickly looked around before lowering her down to the pavement. "Madam?" He shook her shoulder. What did the other man call her? "Rose?"

She groaned, but didn't open her eyes.

He muttered a curse as he lifted her to his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Why would someone hit this woman, he pondered as he made his way back to the boulevard. There really didn't seem to be a point to it, she was obviously not a threat to anyone. So it must have been to blackmail or to torture her for something.

Something about that made him feel very angry.

He stopped and looked around. Tourists were coming their way. He shifted her weight around a bit and plastered a smile on his face.

"Too much to drink." James found himself explaining to the people with questioning faces. Luckily his hotel had no lounge, so the lobby was nearly empty.

When he finally reached his room he placed her on top of the bed and sat down to a chair next to it to catch his breath. After a minute or so he reached out to her again and patted her down only to find a very slim wallet on her jeans back pocket. No passport, no drivers license, no identification what so ever.

He flipped through the wallet and found a prescription for a pair of glasses. There was a name; Rose Hanford. He called down to the lobby and ordered a pair of glasses to be sent up ASAP to replace the broken ones. And a bucket of ice and a bottle of Whiskey for himself.

Then he sat down and leaned back, closing his eyes. His broken wrist throbbed painfully, as did his bruised ribs and face.

With a groan he reached out to get his communicator and requested a name check for Rose Hanford. Something was not quite right with her.

"Curiosity killed the cat.." He murmured to himself.

There was a knock to the door.

---

TBC. Soon.


	3. Chapter 3

If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Behind Blue Eyes

Chapter 2.

Rose blinked.

There was a ceiling. She was pretty sure that there was no ceiling before. She slowly turned her gaze from side to side, but her vision was too blurry for her to make out any details of her surroundings. She was in a room, that was for sure. There was a sound of running water coming from somewhere. A shower, she reasoned, I must be in a hotel room.

"What..?" She whispered mostly to herself.

Rose felt disoriented. But still, she swung her legs to the floor and stood up next to the bed. Holding her other hand on he bed she made her way closer to what looked like a dark, brown, rectangular spot on the wall. A door? She shook her head slightly and squinted her eyes, but it didn't make her vision any clearer.

Suddenly the short hair on her neck stood up. She listened for a second and her hazy mind realized that the shower wasn't on anymore. Slowly, she turned around to see a figure standing on the other side of the room.

"Oh crap.." Rose winced and took a step back as the figure moved closer. It seemed to be a man, and he was holding his hands in front of him. Rose froze and her eyes went wide with terror as he reached out to her face.

"Here." He said and pushed something metallic up her nose. And as if it was magic, Roses vision cleared. Glasses! She thought, he had my glasses. And it was him, the man who had helped her.

"T-Thank you." She muttered. And then blushed as she realized he was wearing only a towel that hung low on his hips. Don't look down! Her mind yelled, but it was too late as her gaze run over his lean body. She couldn't help from biting her lower lip when she saw the black and blue bruise covering his right side. And when she realized what she was doing, her mouth shaped a perfect O. "Oh no.. No wait, I wasn't.. You.. I.."

"It's ok, I don't mind." He said and she could see the corner of his mouth twitch up a little. She could hear the amusement in his voice.

"But I really wasn't checking you out!" She sputtered the words out.

"Sit down so I can check that bruise you got." Even though he grinned at her, she knew it was an order.

Rose backed away until the back of her legs hit the bed. She quickly sat down and averted her eyes to anywhere but the nearly naked man. She could hear the soft rustle of clothes as he got dressed. "I..." Rose cleared her throat. "I don't know your name."

"You can all me James." He answered. She could feel the mattress shift as he sat next to her. "Let's take a look at that bruise." He brushed her hair away from her face and gently probed her skull with his fingers.

"I'm Rose. What.. Ouch!" She yelped as he hit a raw spot.

"Sorry."

"What happened to you?" Rose asked, just to get her mind of the feeling his touch was sending down her spine. His fingers stopped as she finally turned to look at him.

"You mean besides getting hit to the face by a complete stranger?" He asked, buying time as he stood up.

Rose nodded.

James stared down at the woman and tried to imagine what she would do if he told her the truth. I work for the British government and I have the license to kill if my mission requires it. ...Maybe not. She probably wouldn't believe him anyway, it was very unlikely she had ever encountered anyone from his world before.

He knew she had a PhD in mathematics and that she worked as an engineer at the Kincaid Corporation. She was 29 years old, single and had just moved back to London from New York. She had been married once, divorced, no children. Her medical record said she was 5'2" tall and a somewhat overweight. No police record, apart from few parking and speeding tickets. A normal person, with absolutely nothing interesting about her.

And that was the fact that intrigued him. What could the thing, she said she didn't have, that the other man had been looking for possibly be? Money? Her bank account wasn't exactly overflowing. Maybe she had stolen something. Who knew.

"I got hit by a car." It was the truth. He _had_ been hit by a car, but he'd left out the part of the story what happened just before and after that incident. After all, no one wants to hear that the person they are alone in a room with is a killer. He knew that much from experience.

"Oh."

"Maybe you could tell me what happened to you?"

"I wish I could." Rose shrugged her shoulders. "But I don't know what happened. Suddenly everything just went wrong."

"What did he want?"

"A key."

"A key?"

"Yes. A key, but I don't have it."

"What kind of key?"

"I don't know! I've never seen it. But from what I hear it' just a sheet of paper with numbers on it." Rose threw her hands up in defeat. "And it makes no sense why Mr. Caldwell thought I would have it."

"Mr. Caldwell?"

"The guy that.. You know.."

"Ah."

"I was supposed to meet with one of my boss's, that's Mr. Kincaid's, associates earlier, but she never showed up. Then Mr. Caldwell.. Well, then everything just went wrong." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know what I should do, I really don't. No one has ever hit me before, I don't know to deal with this kind of crap! I have no idea what's going on!"

"You've got blood on your shirt." James said as he stepped away from her. "You can use the shower if you wish."

Rose stared at the man. Did he just say what she thought he did? After her outrageous outburst he just calmly suggested that she'd take a shower. She looked down. There was a patch of blood covering the front of her shirt. "Crap."

"Sorry about that."

A stray lock of hair run loose from her messed up ponytail and she tugged it behind her ear. She took a steadying breath. "Shower you said?"

"Yes."

"Can I borrow a clean shirt?"

He threw her a long sleeved black shirt. She managed to catch it midair even though it folded open. Then she did something that nearly made him loose his cool.

She smiled at him.

Although obviously tired, it was still a trusting, friendly smile. Not something he would expect from a woman. Oh women smiled at him, a lot. Seductive grins and perfect pouty lips greeted him often. But there was something in this small, honest smile that disturbed him to the core.

"You'll live."

"Huh?"

"The bruise," He pointed at her head. "It looks nasty, but I think it's nothing too serious."

"Oh, ok." She rose from the bed. "I uhh.. I should go then." He looked as she walked to the bathroom door, and just as he was going to call her name, she turned. "Do you want to have a drink with me later?" She looked at the tip of her sneakers, "Of course, I have no money so you would have to pay for it.." She continued before he could answer. "And now that I think of it I don't have a passport either and my hotel key was also in my purse, so I'm kinda screwed. Maybe I should just.. Sorry I said anything. Actually, I think should really just leave you alone now and.."

"I'd love to."

"What?" Rose looked up.

"I would love to buy you a drink." He smiled.

---

TBC. ...Yeah I know. More action coming in the next chapter...


	4. Chapter 4

If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Behind Blue Eyes

Chapter 3.

The bathroom was elaborate. For a second or so Rose just stood there and marvelled how the black and white décor made the old fashioned tub stand out. It as evident someone had just used the shower as there was water on the wall tiles and on the floor.

Rose coughed as the images of a very naked blond man came to her mind. "Oh boy.." She whispered. "Get it together…" She quickly stripped off her bloody t-shirt, sneakers and jeans. With a quick look at the door she removed her bra and panties and then stepped into the shower.

Oh how wonderful the warm water was. She rubbed the dirt and blood away from her hair. The water turned pink, but soon cleared. Rose sighed in contempt. This feels so good; she thought and leaned her forehead to the tiles.

Rose closed the shower when her fingertips started to wrinkle. She quickly rubbed herself with a towel and got dressed. The shirt he'd given her was a bit tight on the chest, but hung almost down to her knees. No matter what she did, the shirt didn't fit very well. Finally she just shrugged at her mirror image and rolled the sleeves up a bit.

"I've looked worse." Rose muttered and was just about to slip into her sneakers when there was a knock on the door. She held the shoes in one hand as she opened the lock.

James hastily pushed her back inside the bathroom.

"What..?"

"Shhh." He shushed her with his hand over her mouth and nodded at the door. Rose frowned and was just about to ask for an explanation when she heard a loud bang from the other side of the door. James didn't give her time to think as he quickly opened the small balcony door and pulled her outside with him.

He looked around to find something, anything to help them climb, but saw none. Rose just stood there, frozen. What's going on? She tried to put the pieces together. Then he climbed onto the railing, pulling her with him and she finally gathered her wits.

"Whoa wait." Rose tried to keep her balance the best she could, but still had to lean to him for support. The wind whisked her wet hair to her face and glasses, making it harder for her to see, but she could still see that there was nothing below them but concrete tiles.

"What? Come on, there's no time to.."

"To what? What are you doing? This is what, the fifth floor?"

"Seventh."

Rose gave him a blank look. "Are you out of your mind or just extremely retarded?"

"Depends on who you ask?" He smirked. And without a warning pulled her to his side as he jumped of the railing.

Rose grabbed a handful of his shirt as they plummeted down towards the stones on the parkway. She screamed out in horror, and then her whole body jerked painfully as the freefall came to a sudden stop. Her shocked mind somehow managed to grasp the fact that he was holding onto the railing of a balcony, two stories below theirs, with one hand, as the other had a death grip on her waist. She could feel the cast on his wrist twist.

"Climb up." He grimaced.

Rose somehow managed to do as she was told. She scraped her palms to the stone tiles as she fell of the railing to the safety of the balcony. She could hear him pull himself up. Her legs felt like they were made out of wet noodles. He fell down next to her with a soft thud.

"Oh.. My.. God.." She gasped. "Oh my god! Did we just..?! What the crap...!" She stared at him.

James shrugged his shoulders as it would explain everything.

"We can't stay here." He said as he stood up, holding his hand out to help her up. She gingerly took it, hissing as her raw skin met his. He turned her palm up and frowned as he saw the blood trickling to the surface of her skin. "How did you manage to do that?"

"I.. You.. How..?" Rose stuttered and pulled her hand out from his grasp. She shivered; the adrenalin rush was dying down.

He pushed her behind him as he silently opened the balcony door. Luckily the room was empty.

Rose stumbled inside after him and slumped down to the nearest chair. "I'm not doing that ever again." She whispered. "Never again. Not in a million years."

"Are they after you or me?" He asked as he kneeled down on one knee in front of her, forcing her to focus on him.

"Who?"

He gave her a stern look.

"Probably me." Rose answered, and the frowned. "What do you mean after you? What did you do?"

"How good is your imagination?"

"Decent."

He smirked.

"So it wasn't a car accident?" She guessed.

"I didn't lie." He got up and walked to the open balcony door.

"Ha." Rose stood up. "And now?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, I've done nothing wrong. I'm not a criminal, so it is possible that all this is happening because of something you did. So now what? What do we do?"

"There is no "WE" Rose."

"Oh, ok.. But you'll help me right, if it is me they're after?"

"I don't know if there is anything I can do for you anymore."

"What? You.. You could protect me."

"I'm not that kind of a man Rose."

"Sure you are. You did it earlier, why not again?" She took a hold of his hand. "I can pay you."

"You don't have any money."

"How do you…?" Rose bit her lip. "Please James, there is a possibility that someone is after me even though I haven't done anything wrong. I need your help."

"Here." He pushed something cold and heavy to her hands. "This is all the help I can give you." Rose looked down at her hands. He had given her a gun.

"But I..." When she looked up the only thing she saw was the empty doorway. He had left her.

"Crap."

---

TBC


End file.
